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Sandstorms contribute to the atmospheric microplastic pollution: Transport and accumulation from degraded lands to a megacity

Journal of Hazardous Materials 2024 8 citations ? Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count. Score: 55 ? 0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.

Mengjun Zhang, Kang Li, Libo Xu, Libo Xu, Libo Xu, Libo Xu, Libo Xu, Yi Huang Yi Huang Kang Li, Xinyi Bai, Kang Li, Kang Li, Kang Li, Libo Xu, Libo Xu, Xinyi Bai, Min Hu, Mengjun Zhang, Mengjun Zhang, Kang Li, Mengjun Zhang, Kang Li, Xinyi Bai, Libo Xu, Libo Xu, Libo Xu, Mengjun Zhang, Kang Li, Kang Li, Xinyi Bai, Libo Xu, Libo Xu, Libo Xu, Xinyi Bai, Xinyi Bai, Xinyi Bai, Xinyi Bai, Mengjun Zhang, Kang Li, Kang Li, Guangbao Zhang, Mengjun Zhang, Guangbao Zhang, Guangbao Zhang, Guangbao Zhang, Guangbao Zhang, Libo Xu, Guangbao Zhang, Mengjun Zhang, Kang Li, Kang Li, Guangbao Zhang, Kang Li, Mengjun Zhang, Libo Xu, Min Hu, Yi Huang Yi Huang Kang Li, Xinyi Bai, Mengjun Zhang, Mengjun Zhang, Mengjun Zhang, Guangbao Zhang, Mengjun Zhang, Mengjun Zhang, Guangbao Zhang, Guangbao Zhang, Kang Li, Yi Huang Yi Huang Min Hu, Kang Li, Min Hu, Yi Huang Yi Huang Yi Huang Yi Huang Yi Huang Xinyi Bai, Mengjun Zhang, Mengjun Zhang, Mengjun Zhang, Zhijun Wu, Yi Huang Yi Huang Yi Huang Mengjun Zhang, Min Hu, Yi Huang Yi Huang Min Hu, Yi Huang Yi Huang Yi Huang Min Hu, Min Hu, Yi Huang Yi Huang Yi Huang Yi Huang Yi Huang Yi Huang Min Hu, Min Hu, Min Hu, Min Hu, Min Hu, Yi Huang Yi Huang

Summary

Researchers studied how sandstorms transport microplastics from degraded lands to a major city and found surprisingly high deposition rates during storm events. They traced the transport pathways and discovered that sandstorms can carry microplastics hundreds of kilometers, significantly increasing urban atmospheric microplastic levels. The study reveals that degraded and arid landscapes serve as important but overlooked sources of airborne microplastic pollution.

Surface dust from degraded lands is a major global aerosol source, mobilized by meteorological events like sandstorms. Microplastics (MPs) in dust can be enriched in the atmosphere and transported over long distances to sensitive regions during sandstorms. This study was conducted in a megacity frequently impacted by sandstorms in spring, exploring the influx, characteristics, enrichment mechanism, and transport pathway of sandstorm-derived MPs. The deposition rate of these MPs reached 1823.65 ± 892.53 items·m·d, predominantly consisting of low-density polymers and those mainly used in synthetic fiber, with an average size of 60.75 µm. Compared to MPs in annual atmospheric deposition, these MPs were smaller and contained a higher proportion of potentially harmful polymers. These factors could increase exposure risks for residents from sandstorm-derived MPs, along with distinct meteorological and ecological effects. Backward trajectory analysis suggested the observed sandstorms originated from the Mongolian Plateau, over 1000 km away. Comparisons of MPs from surface-collected dust on the Mongolian Plateau with sandstorms-delivered MPs revealed the transport was determined by MP shape, size, and density. This study highlights the critical role of sandstorms in the MP atmospheric cycling, emphasizing the extensive impacts of MPs and the need for coordinated mitigation efforts across regions.

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